Whenever Brigette Brouillard needs a break from her phone and the animals she cares for, she heads out for a trail run.

During one of these runs, she stumbled upon an unexpected sight – a large cardboard box just off the trail.

Unable to ignore it, she decided to take a look inside. To her surprise, the box was filled with six small, furry, and hairless animals!

Though Brigette had intended to take a break from animals, fate had other plans, and these helpless creatures found their way to her.

And here’s the kicker: Brigette is the Executive Director at Second Chances Wildlife Center, a non-profit dedicated to wildlife conservation through rehabilitation and education.

It’s safe to say these animals couldn’t have found a better person to rescue them.

An Unexpected Find
Cardboard box containing animals
When Brigette noticed the cardboard box turned on its side with the top open, her instincts kicked in, and she felt compelled to investigate.

guinea pigs in cardboard box

It’s a good thing she did because, without her intervention, these animals likely wouldn’t have survived on their own at Cherokee Park in Kentucky.

“I looked inside, and it took a moment to sink in. Six adult guinea pigs!! No one else around. Someone had abandoned them!” she shared in a Facebook post.

Guinea pigs inside a cardboard box
The box contained six guinea pigs, a mix of furry and hairless ones. The hairless ones, known as Skinny pigs, are slightly smaller but have a higher metabolism.

photo of a guinea pig

Brigette noted that guinea pigs are not native to Kentucky, and if she hadn’t found them when she did, they would have either starved or fallen prey to dogs or other wildlife.

Photo of a guinea pig
“Maybe the person who left them was hoping someone would find them, or they thought the guinea pigs would be okay in Cherokee Park,” Brigette speculated. “Whatever the reason, I picked up the box and headed off the trail.”

The box was quite large and heavy, making it difficult for Brigette to carry it three miles back to her car. She decided to flag down a passerby and ask for a ride.

Fortunately, a kind man agreed to help and drove her and her “six chatty guinea pigs” back to her car.

The animals were likely bewildered by all the commotion, but they were also incredibly fortunate to have been saved from certain death.

hairless guinea pigs

A Happy Resolution
Hairless guinea pigs
Once home, Brigette fed the six guinea pigs and gave them some treats.

Thanks to her extensive network, she quickly found the perfect homes for all of them.

Her social media post about the “wild rescue story” drew plenty of attention, with many people eager to assist.

“Now I have six guinea pigs at my house waiting for their forever families to pick them up. I’ve found all of them wonderful homes, and we might even keep two. What are the chances I’d be the one to find these little gals?” she wrote.

Since guinea pigs are social animals, Brigette was able to adopt them out in pairs.

“All the guinea pigs are now in their new forever homes. They went to fantastic, experienced families, and none of them had to go alone,” she shared in an updated post.
With any luck, these guinea pigs will live happily ever after with their new families.